WAMM Activist: Margy Ward
by Marie Simpson, WAMM
WAMM is fortunate to count among its members Margy Ward, who has spent her lifetime working in international aid organizations, assisting St. Paul school children, and contributing her efforts to numerous projects and actions to alleviate the injustices of racism in this country and throughout the world.
Raised in Baltimore to socially aware parents, Margy grew up observing and recognizing the racism prevalent in Baltimore life. As a teenager in the 1930s, she saw the ugly face of hate, racism, homophobia, and she spoke up about the moral injustice of it all.
Margy believes her sense of social justice started in her childhood and was influenced by her parents. Her father was a surgeon dedicated to his profession--not for money, but for the service he provided. Margy's father was active in the community and dedicated to the mission fields. Margy's mother was also active in community affairs.
Margy was raised in the Methodist church and at a young age became convinced that Jesus would not favor the laws and practices used to enforce segregation of the races, a reality in the Baltimore of her childhood. Margy recalls this as the first social-justice stand she made. During her teenage years, she became aware of the oppression of gays, Native Americans, ideological dissenters, and people belonging to different religious groups.
World War II had a profound effect on the teenage Margy, helping shape her sense of justice. Until the civil-rights movement, which came about later in her adult life, Margy spoke privately and at some public forums about her belief that the races were equal.
After earning an undergraduate degree at Barnard College in 1949, and a master's degree from Columbia, Margy attended Union Theological Seminary (UTS), earning her Master of Divinity in 1962. She went on, eventually, to work with college students on anti-racism efforts. While at UTS, Margy accompanied students and faculty to demonstrations and strikes protesting this country's failure to provide civil rights to black citizens.
She was encouraged by professors at UTS to pursue her talents in drama, and after graduating UTS, Margy directed one act-plays at a church and at Hunter College--plays with anti-racism and anti-nuclear themes. Margy and her students were involved in demonstrations for civil rights, and later demonstrations protesting U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.
Margy moved to Minnesota around 1971 and accepted a position as a social worker in the Saint Paul public schools. With a colleague she started the Intercultural Festival at Central High School. Margy became active with American Friends Service Committee, working on anti-apartheid and Native American issues. During this time she attended three large demonstrations protesting the takeover of Native lands in the Black Hills by the U.S. government and corporate interests for "nuclear mining and other atrocities."
In 1982 Margy took a five-year leave of absence to work and travel on anti-apartheid issues. Margy and a group of dedicated people worked hard, speaking wherever they could find an audience, persuading individuals and groups to divest from South African investments. While working on anti-apartheid activities, Margy met Sara Jane Olson, and they have remained friends for the past 20 years. Now Margy is one of the founders and activists on the Sarah Olson Defense Fund Committee.
Margy was very much opposed to the U.S. bombing of Iraq. She worked with Friends for a Non-Violent World to protest the U.S. actions. Then, in 1992, Margy retired to Finland, Minnesota, hoping to write a book about anti-racism and oppression of groups of people, but in 1999, she returned to Minneapolis to be closer to the "action."
Margy says that since recognizing injustice as a child, she grew into an adult concerned for people without the opportunities to grow into their full potential, particularly when the biases of groups within the society block their development. She says she feels passionately about eliminating racism, prejudice against gays, and the violence of the U.S. government. Her most memorable moment was watching on television as Nelson Mandela became president of South Africa.
Margy joined WAMM more than twelve years ago and has worked with the media group. Margy's current activities in the Twin Cities Peace and Justice movement include working on the Sara Olson Defense Fund Committee, participating in the Wednesday afternoon Lake Street/Marshall Avenue Bridge vigil protesting U.S. sanctions against Iraq, attending People of Faith Peacemakers, demonstrations, and meetings for justice and peace issues.
While fighting her own personal battle with primary progressive aphasia (PPA), a rare condition that is stealing Margy's ability to speak and write, she continues to promote peace and justice and support the well-being of Mother Earth's inhabitants.